Day of Honor - Treaty's Law

by Dean Wesley Smith

  He turned in the direction of where the ships had attacked. Nothing but flat, burnt-out fields for a thousand or more paces. Most likely the ships would land out of range of the disrupter cannon, near the edge of those low hills. Then the ground troops would start toward the colony. They would be shielded in some fashion, but he was fairly certain they wouldn't have enough shielding to stop a disrupter cannon shot.

  Kirk moved around behind the shelter over the cannon and studied it for a moment. If a ground attack did start, they'd have to find a way to turn the gun around and get it aimed at the attacking forces. Ideally in such a way that they would be able to get the shelter back in place. That might be asking too much of such a make-shift building. When Sulu returned, they'd see what they could figure out.

  In the fading light he studied the perimeter of the colony. Five of the domes along the edge were destroyed. Those ruins would be a logical place to try to stand off ground troops marching across the fields, if he could get enough colonists to help.

  He walked to the edge of one dome and looked out over the open, black field. He hoped it never came to an attack across this field, because if it did, they'd all die for sure.

  Unless Spock could find a way to get them off this planet in time.

  He flipped open his communicator. "Kirk to Enterprise. "

  "Spock hare. "

  "Any change, Mr. Spock?"

  "None, Captain. "

  "Any chance you can get close enough to beam us out of here?"

  "Not without attacking the alien ships directly, Captain. I've run seventeen possible scenarios and all of them end in complete failure . "

  "Keep working on it, Mr. Spock."

  "I will, Captain. "

  "And Spock, I expect a ground attack on the colony at dawn. Stand ready. "

  "We will, sir," Spock said. "We will endeavor to stop the attack in orbit. "

  "And get us out of here at the same time," Kirk said.

  "Of course, Captain," Spock said.

  For a moment Kirk thought he heard the slightest hint in Spock's voice that his feelings were hurt by such a comment. Then Kirk realized he was j ust imagining it.

  "Thank you, Spock. Kirk out."

  He slapped the communicator closed, and headed back to the dome where Kor slept.

  Inside the warm room, Kerdoch stood over the Klingon commander as ifon guard. Kahaq sat beside him, and McCoy sat at a large steel table about three paces away. It looked like a deathwatch to Kirk, and he didn't want it to continue. They had too much work to do.

  "Kerdoch," Kirk said, "I could use your help. "

  Kerdoch nodded to Kahaq and turned. "Yes, Captain."

  "If our enimies attack at dawn, as I think they might, I'd like to have a line of defense set up for the colony."

  Kerdoch bowed his head in acknowledgment. "What would you suggest?"

  Kirk had hoped that was what the colonist would ask. He indicated that Kerdoch follow him out into the fading light.

  A few steps from the dome Kirk stopped and pointed to the five destroyed domes along the perimeter of the colony. "We'll set up defensive positions in there, using the rubble for protection. "

  Kerdoch stared at the domes for a moment, then turned to the captain. "How many more defenders do we need?"

  "As many as have guns," Kirk said. "If a ground force makes it past that line, we're all dead anyway. We might as well make our last stand there."

  Kerdoch nodded. "If there are no further air attacks this night, then I will assume you are correct about the ground troops. Every colonist who can move and fire a weapon will be here."

  "Have them assemble one hour before dawn, " Kirk said, "so we'll have time to dig in and prepare."

  "One hour, " Kerdoch said.

  Without a glance at Kirk, or at the door leading back to Kor, Kerdoch turned and strode off toward the center of the colony, his head high, his pace long and solid.

  Kirk watched him go, glad that Kerdoch was helping. Fanners in any culture tended to be the strong, sturdy, reliable people, proud of their work and their lifestyle. It had never occurred to Kirk before that Klingon farmers would also be skilled, fearless fighters.

  They were certainly not to be trifled with, as the aliens were quickly discovering. It was a lesson the Federation might want to take to heart in the future .

  Chapter Fourteen

  IT WAS GETTING too dark to work, and the cold was starting to numb Vivian's fingers.

  She slowly climbed to her feet and tried to brush the black soot off her aching knees and hands. She switched the tricorder to her left hand and put her right hand in her armpit, trying to warm it. She had no memory of ever feeling this cold, this dirty, this tired, before.

  Sulu was on his knees about ten paces from her, studying readings on his tricorder in the faint light.

  Neither of them really knew exactly what they were looking for. They were j ust hoping to find any clue to solve what was happening. Were the Klingons doing something with their crops that might cause another race to attack them? It had sounded far-fetched to her when they came out into the field, and now it seemed even more so. But both the captain and Sulu thought it likely enough to investigate, so she had tried.

  Tried looking for something that didn't exist.

  "Any luck?" Sulu asked, standing and moving over beside her, blowing on his hands to warm them as he came.

  "I've found nothing new," she said.

  "Me either," he said. "We should report to the captain, unless you think we should stay out here longer. "

  "What is there to report?" she asked. "Or find, for that matter. "

  She glanced around one last time, hoping to find anything that might help, as if it might be sitting out in the open. But there was nothing but the stubble and ashes of burned crops.

  She hated failure , and this planet seemed to constantly want to hand her failure after failure. She could remember being so happy the day she got the assignment to the colony on Signi Beta. Now she wished she'd never heard of this miserable place.

  "Let's go back," she said.

  Quickly, through near-darkness made even blacker by the burned crops, they moved toward the colony. Once in a while a light would flash ahead of them in the colony, then disappear again.

  Otherwise they were alone in the dark, under the stars. Stars she very much wished she were traveling between, instead of walking under.

  It felt as ifthey had to go forever. Her steps seemed to merge into one another. Beside her Sulu became nothing more than a faint ghost walking silently in the dark. For a moment she thought she was having a nightmare and she would awake at any moment in her warm bed on the Enterprise. It would only be one of many nightmares about Signi Beta that she'd had.

  Then she found herself stepping past some debris from a ruined dome and following Sulu up to a figure standing in the dark near the big Klingon gun.

  "Captain?" Sulu said.

  "Did you find anything ?" Kirk asked, his familiar voice bringing her back to reality. This wasn'tj ust a dream. This was very, very real. Again the image of Ensign Chop's body flashed in her mind. She focused on the captain, pushing the memory away.

  "We found nothing new, sir," Sulu said.

  "I was afraid of that," Kirk said.

  Rathbone could tell he was tired. His voice didn't have the force it had j ust this morning.

  "Commander?"

  "I'm afraid I can only confirm what Sulu said, Captain," Vivian said, doing her best to make her voice sound firm. "All the Klingon plants I found were j ust their standard tIqKa SuD. It's a form of hybrid, a blend of the Klingon Doctuq and the natural grain found growing here."

  "What I still find interesting," Sulu said, "is the hybrid nature of the natural plants. It's as if they'd been blended with other plants years before. "

  "The Federation colony botanists found the same thing interesting, " she said. "We spent five years studying it and we had no more explanation for it at the end as the first day."
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  Kirk seemed to shift, turning to face them, most likely to see them better in the dark. "The original plants are hybrids?" he asked. "How long ago did that happen?"

  "At least eight hundred years ago," Sulu said. "Maybe up to a thousand. "

  "The colony pinned it closer to nine hundred," she said. "And not so much as hybrids , as genetically shifted. All the records ofthe research are available in the Federation data banks, Captain. "

  She watched as he seemed to be thinking, staring off into the dark. Granted, this area was fascinating, but she had no idea how it might be important to stopping the alien attacks.

  "Mr. Sulu," the Captain said. "Have Spock look over the colony records as quickly as possible. Also have him scan as best he can from his position for any previous civilizations on this planet."

  "We did that, Captain," Rathbone said. "And so did the original survey team. No trace ofany previous culture even visiting this planet, let alone living here."

  "Except for hybrid plants," he said.

  "Captain," she said, "there could be a hundred natural causes for such a genetic shifting. Asteroid collision could have caused it. So could intense solar flares. And those are only two examples. It could-"

  Even in the deepening dark she could see him hold up his hand and smile. "Just checking everything. None of this makes sense. I just hate to leave anything unchecked while we have time to investigate. "

  Rathbone felt the heat of embarrassment crawl up

  her neck. "I'm sorry, Captain. I'm frustrated we

  didn't find more."

  His smile faded. "You might have found just enough. Only time will tell." He put his hand on her shoulder and propelled her toward the shelter. "Now both of you need to get inside and get warm. I'll take the first watch near the gun. Mr. Sulu, you relieve me after you call Spock and when you get warm."

  "Yes, sir," he said.

  Without knowing what else to say, Vivian turned and followed Sulu through the dark to the dome and the warmth it held. Suddenly it was very clear why Captain Kirk was such a good captain. He never overlooked anything. He had the ability to step outside a situation and see it clearly.

  Once again the young captain had impressed her. She wouldn't question him again.

  Dr. Grayhawk, chief medical officer ofthe Farragut, huffed, then turned his back on Captain Bogle, working with something on a medical table. Bogle smiled, knowing exactly what that action meant. Grayhawk couldn't hold him in sick bay any longer even though he hated letting any patient out in anything short of perfect health.

  "So," Bogle said, "am I going to live?" He reached up and gently felt the top of his head. The intense pain was gone, but the area was still very sensitive.

  "You land on your head again anytime soon and I won't guarantee it," Grayhawk said. "But for now I'm returning you to duty, Captain. "

  Bogle eased himself down off the medical table and straightened his tunic. "Thank you, Doctor. "

  "Next time strap yourselfinto that captain's chair," Grayhawk said.

  "I'll take that under consideration," Bogle said, and laughed. Both he and the doctor knew there were no seat belts on a starship.

  He turned and headed for the sick bay door, moving slowly at first. As he reached the hall he was moving at a good pace again. By the time he stepped back on the bridge the dull ache in his head was forgotten as he focused on the situation at hand.

  Communications Officer Sandy nodded at him and smiled. "Welcome back, sir."

  "Glad to see you feeling better," Lieutenant Michael Book said from Navigation.

  First Officer Lee stood at his science scope, face buried in it. Lee obviously heard and raised his head, smiling at Bogle.

  "Good job, people," Bogle said as he moved to stand beside his captain's chair. It felt damn good to be back, he had to admit. And he was very proud of his crew, especially Mr. Lee, for saving the ship so that he had a bridge to return to. He would put in for commendations for his bridge crew if they survived this.

  He took a deep breath, stepped down to a position beside his chair and looked forward. On the main viewscreen was an amazing sight: Five alien ships hovered in a fairly tight group over the planet. The Klingon battle cruiser was to the Farragut's left, the Enterprise to the right-a three-against-five stand-off.

  "Mr. Lee," Bogle said, "what's the ship's status?"

  "Warp has been restored. Our screens are at ninety percent, and Projeff reports he'll have them back to one hundred percent in ten minutes. All weapons systems are on-line and ready. "

  "Good job," Bogle said. "The other ships?"

  "The Enterprise is at one hundred percent," Lee said. "It's hard to tell with the Klingons. They took a bad beating in that last fight, just as we did, but they should be getting the repairs done by now. "

  "How about the enemy?"

  Lee moved down and stood beside Bogle. "The transport ship farthest to the right took the most damage from us and the Enterprise. It's amazing it still exists. Its shields failed, and we pierced its hull in a dozen places. "

  "Enlarge the image of that ship," Bogle said. Almost instantly the ship filled the viewscreen. Bogle could see that it had suffered extensive damage. It floated at a slight angle that indicated it was nearly dead in space. Debris drifted close to it, indicating that no gravity fields remained on inside the hulk.

  "One of the other ships used a tractor beam to get the crippled vessel to that position," Lee said. "It shows no signs of life and has no screens. It's j ust a hunk of useless metal. "

  "So that lerves four mother ships," Bogle said. He would never consider that ship again in his thinking.

  The main viewscreen switched back to the scene of all the enemy ships.

  "The remaining four are fully functional, from what we can tell," Lee said. "We punished one of them, but not enough to get through their screens. "

  "What about the Enterprise and Klingon landing parties?"

  "Holding out," Lee said. "Kor is seriously inj ured , but still alive. Captain Kirk thinks the next attack on the colony will be a ground assault at sunrise, four hours from now. They're preparing for that possibility as best they can."

  "Do we have help on the way?"

  "Starfleet has been informed of the situation," Lee said, "but we have no starships close by. However, the Klingons have sent for reinforcements. We were told that two battle cruisers are on the way, but they won't arrive for another nine hours."

  "By then, who knows how many enemy ships will be here," Bogle said.

  "We're doing continuous long-range scans, sir," Book said, "watching for just that possibility."

  "Good," Bogle said. He stood staring at the planet beyond the alien ships. "So ifKirk's right, it's up to us to stop the transport ships before they get to the atmosphere ," Bogle said, more to himself than First Officer Lee.

  "If we can," Lee said, softly.

  Bogle only continued to stare at the alien ships, wonderingj ust why they were even fighting this fight. Kirk blew on his hands to warm them. The night had turned bitter cold, a stark contrast to the intense heat they'd survived during the day. He wondered how much of the cold he was feeling was because of that heat and the burns he'd received during the attacks. If he thought about it, he would ask Bones, just out of curiosity.

  Kirk nodded to Sulu in the faint light as the lieutenant came up through the dark and relieved him of guard duty on the Klingon disrupter cannon. Each of them had stood three shifts of guard duty. Nothing had changed. He'd checked in with Spock four times, and everything in orbit also remained unchanged. They were at a standoff, with neither side talking to the other. Actually, only the aliens refused to talk. The Enterprise had kept up a constant hail on all frequencies. But if the other side didn't want to talk, there was no talking.

  Kirk headed back to the warmth of the dome, walking slowly to make sure he didn't trip in the extreme darkness.

  Just over an hour until sunrise. It was time to start gathering the defense forces. He was convi
nced the next attack would be on the ground, especially since there had been no other air attacks during the last few hours. Only a ground attack made sense, if anything about this situation made sense.

  Inside the dome the warm arm washed over him, taking the sharp edge off the chill. He could feel his arm and back muscles relaxing as they warmed.

  Near the right wall Kahaq and McCoy watched over Commander Kor, who was stretched out on a cot. The colonist Kerdoch sat alone at a steel dining table , and Rathbone was dozing in a large chair, her head back, her mouth slightly open. Ensign Adaro had fallen asleep leaning against a wall.

  He moved across the room to where McCoy sat beside Kor. Kirk could never remember McCoy looking so tired and dejected. His old friend was clearly not happy with the Klingon commander's condition and somehow blaming himself for not being able to do more .

  Kirk knelt beside the Commander as McCoy shook his head slowly as a report on Kor's status. Obviously Kor remained unconscious and unchanged. Kirk very much wished his old enemy would recover. At this point the more help they all had, the better chances of surviving this.

  Besides-and this was something he'd admit only in the dark of night, and only to himself-he found Kor a worthy adversary. The idea of facing the Klingon Empire without Kor simply wasn't as challenging.

  Kirk patted McCoy's knee. "Stay with him, Bones. "

  McCoy nodded without looking up.

  Kirk turned and moved over to where Kerdoch sat at the table. The Klingon colonist looked as determined and as angry as he had the first moment Kirk saw him aboard the battle cruiser.

  "Time to prepare?" Kerdoch asked.

  Kirk dropped down into a chair across from the colonist. "I'm afraid it is."

  "What do you need?" Kerdoch asked, being as blunt as most of the Klingons Kirk knew.

  "Any colonist who can fire a weapon. Most likely this fight will be our last defense, if the attackers get this far. "

  "They should be stopped in orbit," Kerdoch said, his tone matter-of-fact.

  "I agree," Kirk said. "Kor's ship and our two Federation ships will do everything possible to stop whatever is heading our way. But they didn't manage to stop them last time, so we need to be ready, in case they fail again."